Charles eulen



(No Model.)

' O. EHLEN.

SHIPPING WR'APPERFOR VEHICLES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EHLEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NICHOLAS BIEDIN GER, OF SAME PLACE.

SHIPPING-WRAPPER F OR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,713, dated April 4, 1893.

Application filed December 12, 1892. Serial No. 454,896. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES EHLEN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Shipping-Wrapper for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The subject of this invention is adevice to cover buggies and similar vehicles for the purpose of protecting them against dust, rain, or defacement during transit when they are sent, or shipped from the factories. Inasmuch as the useful life of such covers is very short and they are needed in great numbers, it is essential that they should be made cheap as to material and manner of construction, Without permitting however such reduced cost to detract from their practical value. At the present timesuch covers are made of muslin or so-called cheese-cloth, pieces of which are cut to the proper shape, fitted over the vehicle and sewed together. Outside of the cost of this material, its cutting, fitting and sewing consumes time which is really of no value and adds nothing toward the finishing or completion of the manufactured article and may therefore be regarded as a loss of time and money by such factories. To obviate all this, I have decided to construct a cover out of cheaper material and have selected paper,

preferably water-proof and of sufficient.

strength. It is cut out, shaped and connected in a manner which fits the vehicle and when put on, covers at once the larger part of the same, so that very little extra work is required to completely envelop the charge. These wrappers are made in different sizes to fit different kinds of vehicles and sold and shipped folded and flatwise, whereby they take up very little room and when kept on hand formp very useful adjunct to carriage and similar manufacturingestablishments.

In the following specification is found a full and the position of its parts when made ready for packing and shipment. Fig. 2, is a perspective View of the wrapper distented and ready to be put in position. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a vehicle completely enveloped by a wrapper and the whole packed within a crate and ready for shipment. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of the wrapper showing its parts in the first stages when made ready for folding it down fiat-wise. Fig. 5, shows in a similar view the wrapper completely folded down flat-wise, in which position it is however susceptible of further reduction by being doubled up.

At the outset, it is necessary to mention that buggies and similar vehicles, when ready for shipment, are collapsed in a manner to reduce their bulk and make them as compact as possible. For such purpose the wheels are taken off, (see Fig. 1,) the top 7, where the bows S, of it connect to the so-called gooseneck 9, at the sides of the seat is disconnected at this point and the whole swung down and forward so that the top rests between the back of the seat and the dashboard. In this position the parts are firmly held by a wooden crate 10, which surrounds the whole vehicle, the two being held in position and to each other by the ends of the axles 11, which pass through a part of the crate. The top is supported by a board 12, passing transversely across the crate and on which board the bows of the top rest. The parts (boards) of these crates are as a rule not so close together as to preclude rain and dust, or to protect the often finely finished surfaces from becoming scratched or otherwise defaced. This part of the protection is furnished by my improved paper shipping wrapper 13, which takes the place of the muslin-covers already spoken of and completely envelops the vehicle. When open as shown in Fig. 2, and ready to be used,

it has a shape resembling somewhat a cube.

One side is open to permit it to pass over the vehicle and its dimensions are such that it may be readily slipped down over the same. Two of the sides 14, are longer and form flaps 15, which when turned inwardly, close the only open part of the wrapper and complete the entire inclosure of the vehicle as it appears most plainly in Fig. These flaps are held in such closed position by strings 16, passing through the eye-lets of straps 17, which are affixed to the flaps. These straps are best made of extra-strong paper, preferably tag-paper and stuck from the inside through slits 18, cut into the flaps 15. That part of straps 17, which remains on the inside of slits 18, is broadened as shown at 19, which prevents them from being pulled through the slit and also furnishes more body, strength and surface for the purpose of securing them to the flaps, which is best done with glue, which is applied to the broader part 19.

For convenient storage and shipping these wrappers are collapsed and folded fiatwise to a thickness equal only to the thickness of a layer of several sheets of paper. For this purpose the two sides between sides 1 1, and opposite each other are provided with creases 20, 21, which permit these sides to bulge outwardly when sides 14, are folded inwardly. This will be more clearly understood when consulting Fig. 4, where one of the sides 14:, has been folded in already and the other partly so. Flaps 15, are simply folded down or doubled each upon its respective side 14. This causes the sides with the creases in them to assume a triangular shape as shown at 22, in Fig. 5, and by dotted lines in Fig. 4.. These triangular pieces are next folded in and down upon the previously folded parts as shown at 23, of Fig. 5, whereupon the whole assumes a rectangular shape. From this the folded wrapper may be still further reduced by doubling the same up, upon itself as many times as is suitable and convenient.

This wrapper is very cheap as compared with the present means for the same purpose and by being always on hand and furnished complete, forms a great convenience and accommodation to manufacturers. Its dust-excluding capacity is better than if muslin were used, which latter however does not exclude rain and moisture like my wrapper when made of water-proof paper.

I-Iaving described my invention, I claim as new- 1. A shipping wrapper for vehicles when made of water-proof paper, being substantially of cubical shape when distended and provided with the flaps 15, all as substantially shown and described.

2. A shipping-wrapper for vehicles made of paper and of a shape substantially cubical when distended, flaps 15, provided on opposite sides and straps 17, with eye-lets secured to these flaps, all as substantially shown and described.

3. A shipping wrapper for vehicles made of paper and of a shape substantially cubical when distended, flaps 15, on opposite sides, straps 17, slits 1S,in said flaps through which straps 17, are passed, an enlarged part 19, of

said straps which remains inside of slit 18,130

prevent the straps from slipping out and furnishing sufficient surface for a glue-joint, all as substantially shown and described.

4. A shipping wrapper for vehicles made of paper and of a shape substantially cubical when distended, flaps 15, provided on opposite sides, straps 17, on these flaps and creases 20, 21, on opposite sides as shown, to permit the whole wrapper to be collapsed and conveniently folded down fiat-wise, all as substantially shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES EHLEN. \Vitnesses:

C. SPENGEL, ALFRED M. DAVIES. 

